Celeste
by air-supply
Summary: COMPLETE! Hermione was certain she'd never have to worry about the despised father of her daughter, Draco Malfoy. But one day when they accidentally cross paths, their lives change drastically. Sequel to Souffles.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Hermione was certain she'd never have to worry about thedespised father of her daughter, Draco Malfoy. But one day when they accidentally cross paths, their lives change drastically. Sequel to Souffles.

**Chapter One**

'Get a loada this, Mike'… thought Celeste Ezabelle Camady… as she twisted her elegant long wavy white-blonde hair into a french bun in front of her dressing table… 'Bet you wouldn't think that I'm "too young" for you now, when you see me like this!'

Hermione apparated so suddenly at her room, that Celeste shrieked. Her mum's eyes were livid with frustration.

"I've been telling you to get ready and downstairs, for the past half-an-hour!" Hermione scolded. "And what do I find you doing? Admiring your reflection for the billionth time today! Thirteen year olds."

She snorted, saying the last sentence with scorn.

"I told you I don't wanna go," the young teenager persisted, turning back to face the mirror, applying lip-gloss and deciding which perfume was more suitable. "Let them revoke my British wizarding-passport, I don't care. It's not like we're ever going back to England, are we? Now I have more pressing problems to dwell on. Like how do I get Mike to take his eyes off that wretched Adrianna, and notice me instead, for instance?"

"Mike? Mike Sanders!" Hermione's eyes went wide. "He's seventeen!"

"And why shouldn't he like me? I may be thirteen, but everyone knows that I'm mature for my age. At least, much more than my classmates. I'm salutatorian, and if I set my mind to study a bit more I guarantee I'll make it to valedictorian. Did Adrianna even win Miss Teen Witch Beauty of Raven High last year, no! She didn't! I did! Or did she ever-"

Hermione groaned. It was another one of what she liked to call, her daughter's _ostentatious conceited-brag talk_… Gets it from her father, of course. It wasn't that she wasn't proud of her daughter's achievements. But really, there's so many times you can hear of how many sports, beauty and academy awards someone has won. Even if that person did happen to be your daughter. There was a whole room with a display cabinet for all the trophies, medals and certificates her daughter received. You'd think that was enough. Apparently not though, she still had to be frequently reminded of them verbally as well. And to make matters worse, her daughter insisted on learning muggle Karate, as if it were necessary to learn self-defence when you're a witch with a wand. So now a new addition will go on to her list: "And I'm an official black-belt!"

Honestly, her daughter was so restless. If only she put more effort into her studies rather than anything else, not only would she manage to make valedictorian, but she could juggle a muggle education alongside her magical one.

"Look," Hermione said, checking her watch, interjecting her daughter's speech. "We're going to be late if we don't head off soon. So how about this, go to this interview with me, all we have to do is answer a few questions, make some promises, and sign some forms. You can leave the last two to me. It shouldn't take too long. As retribution I'll give you and Mike my full blessing if you manage to snag him. And on the way, I'll manage to explain why this is important."

Hermione made a mental note to pay this Mike, and his mother, a visit some time soon. Over her dead body is he going out with her only baby!

Celeste got up huffily, tossing her long hair behind her shoulders as she did so.

"Fine. Where's the floo-powder?"

ّA!ّ!ّ

Celeste hummed softly in the waiting room of the Magical Ministry of Foreign Affairs department while pensively waiting for her name to be called. Well, one thing was certain, Hermione thought as she winced; her daughter will never win anything for her singing skills, unless it was 'the Most Horrendous Voice Award'. She glanced around the room. Not many people were there. There was a married couple with two children, a single man, and three other woman (two of them looked like sisters). And here her daughter was siting beside her.

"Is this going to take long?" Celeste asked, looking bored.

"I don't think so…" Hermione started. "Ok so I promised to fill you in on the reasons why this is essential. Well, we have to keep our passports; otherwise they'll deny us access to ever enter Britain. And what if we needed to sometime in the future? What if something, God forbid, should happen to your grandparents and we had to make it there for a change, instead of the other way around? And Harry and Ron have families now. They won't be in a hurry to come visit us often. We'll have to start paying them visits from now on. Besides, it'll be nice to get acquainted with the country you're originally from, won't it?"

Celeste was listening rapidly. She seemed to accept it all.

"But why does this stupid interview have to be today?" She whined. "It's the weekend! Usually, I'm off with my friends at the weekend."

"A British Ministy worker arrived here today specifically to see us." Hermione said firmly. "He'll be going back tomorrow. It's either we do this now, or our passports will be withdrawn. Whoever he is, he won't come back just because Your Highness is not in the mood. Now remember what I said earlier-"

"Yeah yeah," she rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Be patriotic! I know. How many times must you repeat it! I heard you the first time, you know."

Hermione was just about to berate her for using such a tone with her, when her legitimate name was called.

"Ezabelle Camady!"

A secretery was ushering her to the office.

"Isn't my daughter meant to accompany me?" Hermione asked.

"She will. But you must have a head start." Replied the secretary, opening the door and leading her in.

"Good luck, mum." Celeste called indifferently, reaching for last season's Cosmo magazine (the only interesting magazine available, in her opinion, from the rack).

Hermione entered the office with an air of confidence. She looked up at her interviewer, and almost screamed.

His face fixed on some paper work, and not looking up to greet her, was the father of her child whom she was sure she'd escaped from forever thirteen years ago, Draco Malfoy.

* * *

My only motivation to carry on writing is your review. So don't be surprised if you check back to see if I've updated and find out that I haven't, because no one'd given me their opinion on the chapter. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

'It's OK, Hermione' she reassured herself. She hadn't felt this nervous since the sorting ceremony at Hogwarts. 'He will not recognize you. You're thirteen years older than the last time you've seen him. With artificial black hair, a dark complexion (the sun in the UAE is overwhelming), sparkling green eyes, a different sense of style, and while he's still preoccupied with his papers calmly charm your voice to perform an American Texan/Indiana accent…'

With a rist movement, and a non-verbal spell, her voice had transformed.

She took a seat opposite him, patiently waiting for him to look up.

Draco finally stopped scribling frantically on the papers, set his pen down, rubbed his eyes and took off his glasses. Hermione was too distraught to consider how interesting it was to see thirteen-year-older Malfoy wearing glasses just as Harry, the man he despised, has and always had. He finally looked up at her, frowning.

For an intense moment, Hermione thought she saw a flicker of shock in his icy-gray eyes, which shape she had being gazing at for the past thirteen years of her life. But whether he really felt it, or if it had indeed been a figment of her imagination, Hermione never found out. For Slytherins were notorious at concealing their innermost emotions.

"So, Ezabelle," he said, gazing down at her data. He put a big emphasis on her name. "I take it you've been living here for the past thirteen years, am I correct?"

"Yes," Hermione began, but added quickly "-but it's not like I haven't been here before then, why I consider this place to be my childho-"

"Yes is enough of an answer." Hermione was struck by his abrupt rudeness. "And you've never thought of returning to England for even a couple of days, am I correct?"

"Correct." She said quite coolly, hearing her American accent flow before her. "Though I did have my reasons ofcourse. Too personal."

"You have a daughter, and you're single. Would any of these reasons, have anything to do with the father, perhaps?"

Hermione felt the blood rush out of her face. 'Cool it Hermione, you're being paranoid because of your insecurities. He doesn't know. He can't prove anything… play along now, everything's peachy'.

"I do believe that this question in particular is so very personal and very irrelevent to the interview you're meant to be conducting."

Draco quirked a cynical eyebrow at her.

"Look, let me just tell you that I love England very much, and I shall most definitely pay it more attention that I have been in future." She said in a rush. "Popping there quite often shall be an established prospect, I assure you. So if we can just sign these forms and be down wit-"

"Not so fast," he drawled, his famous sneer playing about his mouth. "Why, we haven't even heard from the daughter yet!"

Now Hermione really started to panick. Celeste was just about disguised as she was Queen of England.

"There will not be a need for that, she's quite too young. And really you've barely imposed a question or two towards me…"

"I will be the one to decide that." He said quite sharply.

In a wave of a wand, the secretary was summoned.

"Call upon Ms. Celeste Camady, now."

"Effeciently, sir."

"Noo!" Hermione shrieked, standing upright.

The secretary spun around and gazed her in alarm. Hermione was torn between crying and screaming with despair. Thirteen years of sacrifice, patience and endless worrying came flushing down the drain.

"My daughter is not well!" She invented wildly, making for the door. "Do whatever you want with the passports. We must go."

But with a lazy, flick of the wand, the door slammed shut at the secretary's face, leaving Hermione hostage in the room with the man she feared above all.

"LET ME OUT THIS INSTANCE!" She bellowed, feeling a stream of tears prickle her cheeks. She turned around to the door and banged on the doors, unaware of Draco casting spells.

"Oh, come now Hermione Granger," He sneered imperiously. "The act is over. If you think that I could be fooled by your drastic change of appearance now, yet I could not with that red wig approximately fourteen years from now, you seriously need another think coming. And stop with the shouting and banging on the door! I've placed a silencing charm on the room, no one will hear you. And I've Obliviated Elena, the secretary. You're trapped Hermione. This is it, no way out."

Hermione could not believe that this was happening. All her life, she wanted to protect her daughter from people and threats like the man standing before her. A previous Death Eater. A bully. Now it seemed like he wanted to barge into her life.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she sobbed, facing him. "My name is Ezabelle, and I'm originally American. I don't know why you're refering to me as Hermione. I have a mental issue which I've passed on to my daughter, so let us go home. Please."

She knew she was blabbing, but she had to keep him distracted while she attempted aparating. No such luck.

"No, Hermione, no." He didn't care he was using her first name. He was gazing at her with hatred, anger echoing in his every word. "You're not going to go anywhere, until you explain to me why you've robbed me from all that was precious to me, lied to me, and hied from me for over a decade, without a trace."

Hermione drew up her wand. What she would do is illegal, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

She was so close to casting a memory charm, when she heard "Accio wand."

Hermione shivered as the wand slipped from her feeble grip. This was all too familiar to her… the night this man raped her, defenceless…

"I want to get back to my daughter," she commanded.

"Our daughter, Hermione. Ours." He paused before carrying on, as if coming up with an after thought. "Although I must say, she has been your daughter, selfishly, for thirteen whole blissful years. Perhaps it's time she became my daughter and mine alone. That was the whole purpose after all, when she was conceived, was it not?"

Hermione's knees gave away. She was now wailing, kneeling, on the floor, at her enemy's feet.

"Please don't steal my reason for living from me."

Draco, eyes flushing with thirteen years worth of built up frustration, raised his foot, and kicked the woman before him in the stomach with all his might.

Hermione gasped in pain. It penetrated through all her thoughts. If she would lift her shirt up now, there would be a huge red bruise, she was sure of it. Crucio would've been more merciful than this man's malicous strength… what she wouldn't give to have Harry and Ron here, like old times, rush to her side…

Draco was now staring at her, not with sympathy, but with contemptous pity. He grabbed ahold of her, she was too weak, and pushed her back on to the chair.

"That kick, or as I would prefer to call it: discipline, made me feel much better. There. Now I feel cheerful enough to be introduced to Ruby. Her actual name, wasn't it? How about you, feeling up to seeing her walk in at the moment?"

Hermione reminded herself of Peter Petigrew, helpless and weak, pleading for mercy. She wasn't him. She was braver. She supposed all the missions she went on as a teenager with her best friends were much more frightening than this.

She looked up at him as if nothing had happened. He hadn't knocked the wind out of her ribs, oh no. He only deserved a mere glare shot in his direction, as if he had merely called her a Mudblood instead of using her first name for the first time ever.

"Now I'm going to point my wand at you. Not to hex you, although it's tempting." He told her with a smirk. "No, it's to fix you up a bit. You don't want my daughter to see you in this condition, I presume?"

Hermione forced on a smile.

"Oh, Malfoy," she said, flinging her arms open as if intending on embracing him, and moving towards him. "I'm so sorry. HIYAAA!"

Draco groaned. Hermione had performed a double-punch square on his chest, she learnt at physical Auror training.

"That was for cowardly hiting a woman." She punched him in the face. "That is for raping me." She kicked him on the groins. "That is for everything else you put me through. Accio wands."

She accepted the wands zooming in her direction. She snapped Draco's into halves. Then into quarters. Then into eightths.

"That's for what you did to Ginny's wand when I needed it the most in my life. Thank you for messing with Auror Ezabelle Camady. Don't feel free to do so again. Scurgify."

She pointed in at her stomach. She felt instantly relieved.

"There's one more thing for me to do."

She swept a good five minutes muttering incantations under her breath, and waving her wand at the papers. She grasped her passport, and her daughter's… and headed off with a smile on her face.

"Don't think of revoking them now that they're sealed. Do you want to find out what happens if you try to? Well you remember Cho Chang's friend that betrayed the DA? Marietta or Mariette or whatever her name was? You will w_sh _that you had a fate quite similar to hers. Much more lenient, you see. Now, lay off my life and my daughter's. We've lived together for thirteen blissful years," she imitated him "so we don't need you interfering in our lives."

She pointed her wand at him. He got back into shape, and the pain flew away immediately. She opened the door.

"Merci beaucoup, Mr. Malfoy," she called loudly for everyone in the waiting room to hear, her British accent flowing before her once again. "You are very kind indeed. Come, Celeste."

Celeste scowled as she got up and followed her up to the fire-place room.

"What did you drag me along if he didn't need to see me?"

"Oh, but he did want to see you, dear." She said pleasantly. "I convinced him out of it. He isn't the nicest man amongst men, you know."

"You spent ages in there."

"Just to spite you. Patience is something you must learn to attain. Liberty tower!"

!A!

Hermione was at Lavendor Brown's villa in Russia, her luggage, and her daughter's, sprawled on the floor of the living room.

"Thank God Celeste has summer holidays." She said softly. "The bastard might've been stalking her at school."

"Well, Draco Malfoy, Hermione!" Lavender exclaimed. "And you never told me! Oh, Parvati and I had such a crush on him at school. He was a total hottie. Looks, a jock, a smart-ass… which goes to show, appearances aren't everything."

"Indeed they're not. But I have to admit, I feel guilty trespassing here all of a sudden."

"No no, it's nothing. I've missed you. You're welcome to stay here until you're certain that you and that gorgeous Celeste are safe. I'm going to have so much fun, giving her hair tips and sharing beauty products with her. And it's time you and I caught up on each other's lives."

Then her wand buzzed, emanating a green light.

"Oh, great. My boss wants me at the office." Lavender said somberly. "I'll be off. Make yourself at home, don't be shy now. Bye."

"Bye, Lav. Thanks for everything."

She was glad that the two of them had decided to patch things up between them after the Ron/Lavender fiasco at sixth year.

"Celeste, I'm going upstairs to unpack!" She called at the kitchen, where Celeste was making apple-pie.

"Whatever." Came the reply. "Have fun! I'll join you in the excitement when I'm done cooking."

Lavender's villa was humungous. Hermione levitated the luggage up to one of the many guest rooms and following suite.

Celeste hummed merrily, kitchen gloves on. She thought she heard wood rattle. She continued humming. Ok, now she definitely heard it. Someone was tapping on the door. Weird. Haven't they heard of a doorbell?

She opened the door.

A white-blonde man, with her same eye-shape and nose, stood before her on the doorway, simpering at her, carrying a box.

"Hello Celeste. Let me introduce myself, it's Dad."

* * *

Thanks for reviewing, if you have. You're the reason I updated hastily, for my standards. Glad y'all liked it. 


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Merci beaucoup for all the reviews! If you want to watch some exclusive Draco and Hermione music videos that I made, visit my profile. Over there you'll find the URL to the website I made where you can download them. They don't take long to download, for their quality isn't of the very best. But they're cool all the same, even if I do say so myself. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

"Oh, great." Celeste said from the doorway, rolling her eyes as if someone beat her in a game of Snakes and Ladders. "You found us. Mum will have a fit when she finds out."

"That's the way to greet your father, whom you've never met until now." He sneered sarcastically, shouldering past her to enter the house. "Well look at you, all beautiful. Ofcourse you would be, having a father like me and a mother as pretty as Hermione."

"I'm not just a pretty face," Celeste said, going to the siting room as if entertaining awaited guests with her father in tow. "I'm going to get into what Mum calls my ostantatious conceited braging, or something amongst those lines…."

Meanwhile, upstairs, Hermione heard voices. She stopped. Her daughter's voice…. Could she possibly be talking to a house-elf? No, wait, is that HIS voice?

Hearting pounding, she rushed down the stairs.

"Stop!" She shouted, seeing the two siting on the couches. "I came to here to ensure that you distance yourself from us! So that you won't kidnap my baby! Wha- how… how did you find us?"

Celeste rolled her eyes, her favourite thing to do these days, while Draco smirked at Hermione.

"Easy." He answered, putting an arm around his daughter's shoulders to watch Hermione squirm at the sight. "I asked the watchman where he heard you floo yourself to. He said Russia. I knew for a fact that your old classmate Lavender is the only one you know who lives in Russia. I sent her the fake signal that she should head to work, because she's uptight about security. And so here I am."

"Here you are indeed," she said, narrowing her eyes. "What are your intentions?"

"My intentions…" he repeated thoughtfully. "I came here to, believe it or not, apologize to you. For everything. My daughter's disappearance from my life had me thinking a lot, about the errors of my ways… and although I shall never forget it, I am willing to forgive you for the punching bag you made out of me back in my office."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Is this really the Draco Malfoy she knew ande despised, mutually, whom was standing before her as if he had feelings?

"Apology accepted." She said, unable to keep herself from glaring at him. "Have a nice life. Don't let the door hit you on your way out. Or do. It would give Celeste and I a good laugh, you see."

"And me as well," an angry voice hissed from a corner.

They turned to the speaker. Lavender was standing there, fist clenched, her face red.

"I should've known a former Slyhtherin was behind this. Imagine! Tricking me out of my own home." She took a deep breath, looking back and forth between them. "But I can see that this is a family issue, so I'll leave you to it."

She hastily headed up the stairs, muttering incoherently to herself.

Draco turned back to Hermione. Celeste, feeling very uncomfortable, had excused herself to check on the pie she was making ("Did you really inherit my flair for cooking?").

"I'm not going anywhere, Hermione. I want to be part of my daughter's life. If you object, I'll take the matter to court. And because of my good connections at the ministry as a Malfoy, I think it'll be safe to assume that I would win the battle for custody over Celeste. Now, don't fret. I don't intend to bar you access from her, you are her mother and the only parent she's ever known after all. But only if you force me to, I will. Besides, financially, it would be a really good thing for her."

Hermione was at a loss as what so say. But come to think of it, she is his daughter. He does seem to have changed for the better… she had denied him access to their daughter for long. And giving Celeste a father she never had, whom was rich, couldn't hurt. Besides, at this difficult age, Hermione thought that Draco would give Celeste the discipline she felt her daughter seriously needed from a paternal guardian.

"Fine. Provided you seek my consent," Hermione said slowly. "And inform me of how long and where you will spend time with her, you may do so."

Draco beamed at this, which was another shock for Hermione. Since when did Malfoy grin?

"Ah, now that this is settled, I would like to discuss other things. Now you really did move to the UAE to escape me, didn't you?"

Hermione was about to say 'Duh!', something her daughter contageously passed on to her, but caught herself in time.

"Yes. That's right. Leaving England was the hardest thing I ever had to do."

"Well then, now that you don't need to escape from me. Why don't you move back? I understand that you've built a life for yourself over at the UAE. But you can have a fresh start back in England. The Malfoy Manor, is humongous, people sometimes think that 'Mansion' is an inappropriate classification for it, and that 'Palace' would be best to describe it. So I propose that you live there, with Celeste, as there's plenty of space for you. It would be a healthy environment for a family such as ours. And you don't need to carry on working. I will take care of your needs."

Hermione's head was reeling. This was too much to digest for one day. Way too much.

"Can… can I think about this? I'll go upstairs, sleep on it, and get back to you with an answer tomorrow. I'm too exhausted to think straight right now."

Draco nodded curtly before getting up.

"We made a beautiful child, Hermione. I couldn't be more proud of her."

Hermione shrugged. Is this about the _ostentatious conceited-brag talk_? He left the box he'd been clinging on to at the coffee table.

"For you and Celeste," he said shortly.

He moved on to the kitchen.

"That's a fantastic pie. Very good. But not perfect. I'll teach you how to be a professional at cooking later on." Hermione heard him saying.

He went out, magicked the door shut behind him, his cloak swishing after him.

"Oh. My. God." Lavender was sprinting down the stairs, her beautiful long hair bouncing at her shoulders, in a black sundress. "He's become so sweet. Oh, you lucky thing! Living with him! At his palace! With your fantastic love child."

Hermione was now spulering._ Love_ child? The man had raped her!

"You've been eavesdropping." She accused.

Lavender blushed sheepishly. "You were loud. But that's not the point. Are you, or are you not going at accept his offer? I think you should. You'd live like a princess. Or should I say, Queen. Draco's King, and Celeste's the princess."

"My my, what an imagination, Lavender." Hermione said. "You seem to live like a princess. Your place is spacious."

"Something my rich father gace me." She shrugged. "Stop changing the topic! Won't you go live with him? Who knows, maybe he'll fall in love with you…"

"That, I guarantee, would never happen. Earth to Lavender! I am Hermione Granger and he is Draco Malfoy, the two students who hated each other the most at Hogwarts, with the exception of him and Harry and Ron, of course."

At the mention of Ron's name, Lavender stiffened a bit, but quickly turned back to the situation at hand.

"Hermione, forget about the past! It's ancient history. It was what, over sixteen years ago? Focus on what's best for you and Celeste at the present."

"Lavender! I've spent all my life running and hiding from this very man, sacrificing my blood and sweat in the process. Why would I just drop everything at his word and suddenly trust him enough to accommodate with him? I don't even know him!"

"And you will as time goes by."

"How about someone asks me what I want?" The teenager demanded.

They turned to Celeste. Her hands were on her hips.

"I want to live with both my father and my mother, simultaneousely. He seems nice enough, unlike the stories you told me about him, which are true- I'm sure- but he's good now. I want to live with him in a palace. I want to live in England, it's where I belong. Where I'm from. And then we can visit Gramps and Grandma everyday!"

"I know you," Hermione hissed at her daughter. "You heard that Mike wants to study healing in London and you can't wait to jump at the opportunity to live close to him.

"Guilty as charged." She said unblushingly, picking up the package her father left and opening it. "Parially, only. Oh look Mum, he's left you a diamond bracelet, me a cute little top, a remembrall, and oh… a souffle! With its recipe on paper. Strange."

Hermione suppressed a grin at the meaning behind those.

"He's certainly trying to buy your affection." She observed.

"So who's complaining? Honestly, Mum, stop being so pessemistic. Oh Mum, how sweet. You made a 'punching bag' out of him, and he still forgave you for it. So when are we leaving?"

Hermione threw a cushin at her daughter.

"I think that when we do leave, we'd move back to our house in the UAE and nowhere else."

!A!

Draco stared at the photograph Celeste had handed him, in bed. He gazed fondly and elatedly at his daughter. Then he traced her mother's face with his finger. She really is a beautiful, smart woman. If only she knew…

He placed the photo besides his alaram clock and fell into dreams of _his_ family.

* * *

If, until now, you don't understand the previous events reffered to which occured, then I suggest you read this story's predecessor: Souffles. If you've inquired about it, it's posed on my profile. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Hermione woke with a start. Her daughter was shaking her.

"What is it?" She snapped angrily. What a way to wake someone up!

She was dreaning of bejewled tiaras and grand palaces…

"Father's here. He wants an answer today."

"I'm sleeping. Too bad."

"Mum! It's one oclock! Exactly how much sleep did you get last night, anyway?"

Hermione groaned and peered at the mirror on the wall. She was a mess, especially her hair.

"He's just siting there waiting?"

"Aunt Lav is chating him up. I'll tell him you'll be down soon. Man you need some serious fixing up."

She skipped off, huming.

Hermione got up and washed her face, then twisted her hair into a pony-tail, glamoured the dark circles off her eyes and applied some pink eyeshadow. Now that her face was done, she pulled put a v-necklined white shirt with swirly sleeves and a tight knee-lenthed black skirt. She posed in front of the mirror. Good, no evidence of her lack of sleep. After wearing her black and white sandals, she went out and descended the stairs.

Draco looked up at her, and she could tell he took a sharp intake of breath. Him, Celeste and the nosy Lavender were siting there, awaiting her decision.

"Good afternoon," she said, as if it was just another normal routine day.

They all returned the greeting.

"OK. Enough with the pretence. What have you decided?" Draco wanted to know.

"I'll… Well, Celeste and I will go back and live with you. It's high time we returned to England after all these years, anyway."

Celeste hooped with joy. Draco and Lavender beamed.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Accio your things and let's get moving!"

aa!a!

Hermione stumbled against her daughter at the address Draco had instructed her to side-along apparate at with Celeste. She found herself facing a rainforest.

Just then, Draco appeared by her side.

He lifted his wand, and waved it.

A huge castle, almost as big as Hogwarts, appeared before them.

Hermione gasped. Celeste was gazing up at it, dumbstruck and mesmerized.

"For future reference, the incantation is 'Materialize Malfoy Manor'- my great grandfather's doing." He turned and faced their impressed expressions, with amusement. "That's only the main one. Mother lives here too. There's another one located elsewhere, which is a tall tower. No one's entered it in a decade, I believe. The third one is merely a palace, which my great-aunt resides in. Well, let's not just stand there, get in."

While they passed the huge oak doors and into the enterance hall which size was equivilent to the Burow, Hermione felt herself very lucky indeed to be living in a spacious luxurious place. The three of them made their way down some corridors. There were doors everywhere!

"You didn't tell us that you lived in a castle!" Celeste accused, narrowing her eyes at her father.

"Didn't want you to think I was exaggerating." He shrugged. "Koolia?"

With a 'pop', a house-elf appeared before them.

"Yes, master?" The house-elf bowed.

"You are now appointed to serve my daughter, Celeste. You'll need to escort her places, and show her around. Take her to her room. We'll see you at dinner, sweets."

Celeste wordlessly left with the house-elf. Hermione felt nervous, strolling along with Draco all by herself.

"Where's your mother?" Hermione took a stab at attempting to break the silence which was lingering after Celeste's departure.

"Over at her friend's house. She tends to feel quite lonely when I'm not around." He said offhandedly. "I would like to talk to you, Hermione." He said, coming to a hault besides a huge portrait of a haughty yet beautiful witch. He pushed against it, it swung. A simple yet elegant siting room with antique furnishing and a fireplace stood before them. "Inside." He said quietly, and Hermione hesitated to oblige.

"Right. Well, now that you're living here with me," he said slowly, siting at a plump couch opposite her. "I want to discuss our situation. You see, the Malfoys are respectable amongst society, save for the Death-Eater situation which is now cleared up. We take pride in etiquette and living up to great expectations. Now, you know that it's considered a taboo for us to live together and initiate in inappropriate activities whilst we're not married. People will find out that you live here, and there will be raised eyebrows. It's quite acceptable in the muggle universe, but not with us."

"Malfoy," Hermione laughed, cuting in. "I don't even know you. And nor you me. You can't be suggesting we get married! It's absurd. I don't even love you. And you don't care very much about me, either. So.- oh, this conversation is ridiculous! I'm sorry, but no can do."

Draco's gray eyes turned to a darker shade.

"First of all, with marriage, we can really get to know one another as time passes. And as for love… Hermione, after your disappearance, well…"

He failed to carry on. He was no Gryffindor, expressing his emotions with pride after all. But his meaning was clear. Hermione was stunned.

He stood up and towered over her. She quivered slightly at his imposed figure. But he gently gripped her shoulders and lowered his lips against hers.

It was the most passionate kiss Hermione had ever experienced, and so she found herself returning it.

He gently broke it.

"Please," he said quietly, withdrawing a small box from his pocket. "Do me the honor of becoming my bride."

He opened the box. A six-carrot ruby on a white-gold ring.

Hermione paused to think about it. It was all too sudden… but it would do a world of good to Celeste to have a healthy family. And Draco was renown for a catch of a bachelor, and he did love her… so if she kept him on his toes, he might very well find someone else to maintain the 'respectable family name' he sought. And she wouldn't have that. Besides, she might like this improved Malfoy.

"Yes," she sighed. "Draco, let's get married."

Draco happily scooped her in his arms and led her off to a bedroom. Hermione knew that the memories of the rape that haunted her would now be replaced with pleasant reveries…

He placed her on a bed. She giggled when he nuzzled her neck. She wanted him now!

"Did you miss this?" He asked mischievously between kissing her. "I know I did."

Hermione smiled dreamily. Maybe she should start believing in fairy-tales…

aa!a!

Celeste made her way to the dining room, followed by Koolia as if she were her bodyguard.

"This place is huge!" She exclaimed at her parents upon entering, and seating herself. "And the library is definitely the best. I feel like Annie Warbucks!"

She stopped. Something weird was happening. Her parents seemed… happy. They were siting next to one another on the table.

"Is there something I should know?" She asked slowly.

"We're getting married." Hermione beamed, holding up her hand to show her the exquisite ring.

Celeste was speechless. Too much happy news all in one day.

"And honey, how would you like to be a big sister?" Draco asked her warmly.

At this, Celeste felt sick at the thought of them doing it… but she also beamed.

"I would like that very much!"

* * *

Awww… but you all know, that happy endings are sometimes for stories that haven't finished yet? I'm only considering a trilogy "Monster In-Law."… Narcrissa Malfoy isn't too happy about her only child marrying a 'mudblood', and will go at any length to destroyhis newfound happiness- including finding spinsters to woo the man. No promises though. So for now, THE END. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. I wrote this story for you people. 


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